Park club players serve upset at provincials

Three Salisbury Composite High School students Derek Meldrum (setter), Kent Martens (outside left hitter), and Kendall Kropp (setter and team captain), along with NAVC head coach and Sal’s seniors boys head coach, Mark Van Drunen, claimed the U16 provincial title against the Calgary Canucks at Spruce Grove’s Tri-Leisure Centre on May 5. Photo Supplied

In sports, there’s nothing better than an underdog story and that was proved once again during this year’s volleyball provincials, where the U16 Northern Alberta Volleyball Club (NAVC) Griffins team beat out a southern Alberta favourite.

Three Salisbury Composite High School students Derek Meldrum (setter), Kent Martens (outside left hitter), and Kendall Kropp (setter and team captain), along with NAVC head coach and Sal’s seniors boys head coach, Mark Van Drunen, claimed the U16 provincial title against the Calgary Canuck at Spruce Grove’s Tri Leisure Centre on May 5.

It came as a shock to many at the tournament due to fact that NAVC was ranked fifth overall and first in Pool B in the three premier tournaments leading up to provincials. The team would always rise to the top in Pool B, and then lose to Pool A fourth place team in the quarterfinals. Van Drunen outlined he could have written a book about the ups and downs of the season, calling it a true underdog tale.

“When it came to provincials, we peaked at the right time and on that Sunday, we overcame quite a bit,” recalled Van Drunen. “Our boys really bought into what I preached all year and knocked off some teams that were winning at the other tournaments leading up to it… The boys are excited, to say the least. Tears were flying for sure. It was great to see. It was the first provincial banner for me as a coach. All of the pieces fell together, these boys haven’t played together before this season and those Canuck boys have been playing together for years.”

Both Red and Black Canucks teams from Calgary finished second and first place last year at provincials and consistently ranked the same throughout the tournaments this season leading up to provincials.

“It truly was an upset throughout all Sunday. We underachieved a little bit all year, but on Sunday, the boys truly showed that they deserved to win,” the coach said.

NAVC beat Calgary in the final match, 25-23 and 25-23. Those close scores were indicative of how close the game was.

“Throughout the whole set, no team was really up by more than three points. It was back and forth the whole day. In those close games in previous tournaments, we would always be on the losing end, so I really encouraged and implemented in my practice plans how to put the ball away when it’s set to you, who you’re going to put the ball to as a setter. It finally showcased when it was 23-23, when the game was only decided by two points and we really performed in those situations,” the coach stated.

Van Drunen outlined service pressure and where to serve were crucial to the team’s success.

“It caused the opposite team not to be able to create any kind of offence through the middle and just sets to the outside.”

Comprising the U16 Northern Alberta Volleyball Club, Sal’s Derek Meldrum (setter), Kent Martens (outside left hitter), and Kendall Kropp (setter and team captain) and coach Mark Van Drunen won provincials on May 5. The team will be ranked No. 1 heading into nationals in Toronto on May 12-14.Photo Supplied

The three Sal players each played a part in the banner win.

“For not setting before this season, the growth curve alone, Kendall just grew immensely in the last five months and he definitely showed that at provincials being the starting setter on the court and helped us win. Him and Derek have been battling for that starting setter role all year. What we needed from Derek was to come off from the bench to create a spark and a more balanced offence later in sets. He didn’t start, but he definitely provided a lot, especially in the semi-final and final, he got in every set and made a difference. Kent ended up being a serving sub or passing sub in the back court, which he brought into during the semi-finals.”

NAVC headed to nationals

Having lifted up the provincial banner for this season, NAVC punched their ticket for nationals, where they will be ranked No.1 nationally in Pool A.

“The mentality heading to nationals is a little bit tricky… Do we still go with that underdog mentality? I think it’s good to walk in there with the confidence of knowing that we won provincials and we are the top dog going in, but we need to prove to everyone else that we deserve it. We proved that provincially, but everyone else is probably thinking we’re just an upset team, so we need to say no we belong in this pool and to be No. 1 ranked.”

The team headed to nationals in Toronto on May 12-14, with the results released past publication deadline.

“The expectation is to win. It would be different if we finished fourth or fifth, but the expectation is to get the national banner now,” added Van Drunen.